Xander Schauffele reveals what ‘proud’ Tiger Woods texted him after PGA Championship win
The 30-year-old finally got a monkey off his back when he clinched his first major championship victory at the PGA Championship last week.
The World No. 2 held off charges from Bryson DeChambeau and Viktor Hovland on the back nine of Valhalla to seal his victory with a birdie putt on the 18th after leading wire to wire.
On no fewer than 12 occasions he had finished in the top 10 on one of golf’s biggest stages but he and Woods believed all the near misses made him stronger.
The Californian revealed that the 15-time major winner has a heartwarming message for him following his triumph.
Xander Schauffele revealed that Tiger Woods (pictured) sent him a congratulatory message
Xander Schauffele revealed that Tiger Woods (pictured) sent him a congratulatory message
The 30-year-old clinched his first major title at the PGA Championship in Louisville last week
The 30-year-old clinched his first major title at the PGA Championship in Louisville last week
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‘He texted me, ya know, and I think he is right; he’s been through it all himself,’ Schauffele said on the Subpar podcast.
‘But he texted me something along the lines of, “You know, all those times you were close, I think that hardened you for this moment … and I’m proud of you. It’s incredible. I couldn’t be more proud of you.” That was an awesome text I got from T-Dub.’
While it may have taken him a while to clinch his first major title, Schauffele is not stopping there.
Schauffele revealed that the rush of being in the hunt at tournaments is an addictive feeling.
‘It’s just like a drug,’ he said. ‘You just wanna keep having that feeling. I think my favorite feeling in golf is to be in the hunt, regardless of the outcome or the result.
‘That rush you feel when you are in contention coming down the stretch is why I love playing golf and why I love sport in general, and I have had a lot of that feeling, which is super fortunate for me.